Messi and Neymar, attacking mates at PSG together with Kylian Mbappé against Montpellier. (Photo: Mohammed Badra / EFE / EPA)
A few hours after his name was not included among the 30 players who will aspire to the Ballon d’Or this year, Lionel Messi will take the field to play his third game of the season with Paris Saint-Germain. They will be from 16:00 against Montpellier at the Parc des Princes for the second round of Ligue 1. The match is visible through the Star + platform.
PSG started their league run with a 5-0 away win against Clermont. In that match, Messi scored two goals, one from the Chilean. He also scored in the 4-0 win against Nantes for the Champions Trophy. Up to there, pure smiles. The surprise came this Friday, when France Football magazine published the list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or and Rosario, which has won that award seven times (last, last year), did not appear among the candidates.
This Saturday the captain of the Argentine national team will try to put that situation behind him in a duel against an opponent who made his debut in this edition of Ligue 1 with a tight 3-2 against Troyes, but who seems to be far from the power of the French champion.
Messi will start in the attack of the Parisian team together with Brazilians Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, who will make his debut this season after missing the first appointment and the match against Nantes for the Champions Trophy in Tel Aviv due to a muscle injury. The Frenchman was included among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi with the Portuguese Renato Sanches and the Italian Marco Verratti during a PSG training session. (Photo: Bertrand Guay / AFP)
Leandro Paredes, who entered as a substitute last week and arrived in the 21st minute of the second half, among the squads. Mauro Icardi, whose cycle at the Parisian club seems to be over, will still be missing. For now he no longer trains with his teammates.
“I spoke to Mauro and told him that I intend to work with a short squad, with no more than 25 players. He has played very little in recent seasons and it is important that he recover. Now you need to reboot and switch teams. Finding the right place would help him get back on track and to the best of his career, “coach Christophe Galtier said this week.
Probable formations
Paris Saint-Germain: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Sergio Ramos, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe; Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Marco Verratti, Nuno Mendes; Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Neymar. Trainer: Christophe Galtier.
Montpellier: Jonas Omlin; Enzo Tchato Mbiayi, Falaye Sacko, Mamadou Sakho, Theo Sainte Luce; Joris Chotard, Teji Savanier; Faitout Maouassa, Wahbi Khazri, Stephy Mavididi; Sepe Ely Wahi. Trainer: Olivier Dall’Oglio.
Referee: Willy Delajod.
Stage: Park of the Princes (Paris).
Start time: 16.
Transmission: Star +.
Source: Clarin
